Liu, Zhen-Qi 刘桢琦

zhenqi.liu at mail.mcgill.ca / Google Scholar / ORCID / Twitter / GitHub

Hey, I'm Zhen-Qi and I study brain + networks

I'm a first-year PhD student from Netneurolab supervised by Dr. Bratislav Misic at the Montreal Neurological Institute. Our lab works on everything "network-y" about the brain using mathematical, statistical and data-driven modelling on openly-available human neuroimaging (MRI, MEG) datasets. I'm specifically interested in mesoscale properties that link brain structure and function. I develop network science and machine learning methods for computational neuroscience and neuroimaging. I'm also interested in exploring the potential link between human brain and artificial intelligence.

Academic background

At the age of 15 in 2012, I entered the Honors Youth Program of Xi'an Jiaotong University in Xi'an, China. After going through some quite intensive and competitive training, I acquired my B.Eng. in Electronic Information (Automation) in 2018. I had a top cGPA of ~89/100 and did my thesis research at Brainnetome Center, CASIA, supervised by Dr. Shan Yu . My thesis topic was on long-range temporal correlations, criticality, neuronal networks and reservoir computing. After that, I was accepted by Integrated Program in Neuroscience (IPN) at McGill University and joined Netneurolab supervised by Dr. Bratislav Misic at Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I got my MSc in neuroscience in 2020, and continued my PhD study at the same lab.

(More) research interests

Will add soon...

Publications

(†equal contribution, co-first author)

Preprints / Under Review

• Rahayel S, Misic B, Zheng YQ, Liu ZQ, Abdelgawad A, Abbasi N, Luk K, Dagher A. The agent-based SIR model replicates the spread of alpha-synuclein in the mouse brain.

Published / In Press

• Vazquez-Rodriguez B†, Liu ZQ†, Misic B. Signal propagation via cortical hierarchies. Net Neurosci [Link] [Thread]
• Liu ZQ, Zheng YQ, Misic B. Network topology of the marmoset connectome. Net Neurosci [Link] [Code]

Conference abstracts

First-author

• Liu ZQ, Betzel RF, Misic B. The organization of functional connections without direct structural links. (2020) Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Online.
• Liu ZQ, Betzel RF, Misic B. The organization of functional connections without direct structural links. (2019) Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL.
• Liu ZQ, Zheng YQ, Misic B. Network topology of the mesoscale marmoset connectome. (2019) Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Rome, ITA.
• Liu ZQ, Zheng YQ, Misic B. Topological organization of the mesoscale marmoset connectome. (2019) Healthy Brains Healthy Lives Annual Scientific Retreat, Montreal, QC.
• Liu ZQ, Zheng YQ, Misic B. Topological organization of the mesoscale marmoset connectome. (2018) McConnell Brain Imaging Centre Annual Academic Retreat, Montreal, QC.

Contributed

• Vazquez-Rodriguez B, Liu ZQ, Misic B. Brain communication is shaped by cortical hierarchies. (2020) International Conference on Network Science, Online.
• Rahayel S, Misic B, Zheng YQ, Liu ZQ, Caputo A, Luk K, Dagher A. An agent-based model replicates the pathogenic spread of alpha-synuclein in mice. (2020) Movement Disorders Society, Philadelphia, PA.
• Vazquez-Rodriguez B, Liu ZQ, Hagmann P, Misic B. Signal routing via cortical hierarchies. (2020) Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Online. Selected for Platform Talk
• Oudyk K, Liu ZQ, Markello R, DuPre E, Misic B, Poline JB. Exploring the redundancy of resting-state network connectivity. (2019) Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL.

Honors and Awards

2019

GREAT (Graduate Research Enhancement and Travel) Award, McGill University

2018

HBHL’s Graduate Student Fellowship (Master’s), McGill University

2018

IPN Recruitment Award (Master’s), McGill University

2015-2017

Siyuan Scholarship, Xi’an Jiaotong University

2016-2017

Outstanding Student, Xi’an Jiaotong University

2017

XJTU-CASIA Automation Elite Class Program Scholarship, Xi’an Jiaotong University and Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2016

XJTU-CASIA Automation Elite Class Program, Xi’an Jiaotong University and Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2016

Information-technology Talent Program, Xi’an Jiaotong University